Yeah, a new-ish starship in service in 2399 having a registry number in the 75000-range seems a bit odd given how quickly Starfleet skyrocketed from the Ambassador-class era of the early 24th century(20000-ish) to the 70000-range by TNG. Having a registry in the 80000-90000 ranges would make a lot more sense for a vessel class introduced in the recent past.
The wording in this sounds like the show team gave Eaves that number, he didn’t create it. Same with the ship’s name. The number is lower than the Ibn Majid, Rio’s old ship, so that might be why it was raised later.
...But repeating those images highlights the thing that's missing from the text. At some point, Eaves labeled not one but at least two and presumably three of his proposals as "USS Zheng He", with three different NCC-75000 range registries. Was that before or after TPTB told him to label one of the ships the Zheng He? If after, the registry there would be the one from TPTB - but it also happens to be the one from the respective supposedly original drawings, in both the proposals we see as multicolor art. So there's confusion there. One minimally conflicting interpretation would be that TPTB liked the Eaves-originated name Zheng He but dictated a new, NCC-80000+ registry number for the ultimate proposal which we don't get too see as an Eaves drawing in this lineup. The other is that the name and the registry were dictated on Eaves at different times, so first he'd get the order to offer his three pretty ships of varying names and types all as "USS Zheng He, cruiser-carrier", and he'd give all a different registry of his own choosing. He'd then be told to drop it - and then to hastily return to it, by resending the best ship now with a more fitting registry. Timo Saloniemi
...? All of 'em have the usual "F-16 intake" thing below the bow, supposedly. Or do you mean we don't get to see any specific art for the exact type of glowing detail that would go within? On those tiny 3-views, it isn't customary for Eaves to attempt to insert any. We don't know the stage at which the vertical Venetian blinds were decided on, and by whom, though. Perhaps those were necessitated because Eaves didn't have time to design any glowies. But perhaps not. Timo Saloniemi
None of the concept art in the book show the deflector. But as I said that doesn't mean there isn't any, it's possible they're just not in the book. Edit: Oh those top left ones are front view after looking closer, it was really hard to make out, but I see that the pylons are behind the saucer.
Ship registries between 30000 and 69999 are considered very unlucky. I's like how many hotels don't have a 13th floor. The redshirts of the lineage!
I just discovered someone already posted some of the Herocollector material I posted. Excuse me as I don't "see" everyone on here. I'm going to keep up the spread of the concept artwork as i think it's more visible than what was posted, but deleting the video.
No, the minor refit eaves designed for the end of Nemesis but wasn’t used. The alternative skin that came with the Legendary Sovereign last year is based off it. Not whole lot is different, the pylons are thicker and the hull aztecing is more prominent Not sure what I did to have you put me on ignore, but ok. Also you missed a couple of pieces of art.
Somewhat curiously, while the pic above seems to show the Zheng He configuration ultimately offered and chosen (sans any name or registry), it also appears to lack any recognizable phaser strips. Is this because Eaves was offering it as the requested "transport with a big bay in front" at this stage? He draws something that looks at least a bit like phaser strips on the saucers of the other two designs... Or are those "panel lines" with a kink to them on the upper sides of the saucer perhaps supposed to be phaser strips? Are the lateral edges of the saucer supposed to be the strips? Are the transverse blocks atop the impulse engines it? Eaves often (but not always) draws more explicit weapons when he wants them in. Timo Saloniemi
Remember it was designed as a background ship originally. That might be why he didn’t include them. Save detail.
Most likely it was for the flashback scene when Picard visits Elnor's planet. There were a bunch of shuttles flying around in orbit of the planet, but no mothership. Presumably it was to be the ship that Picard arrived in, since he beamed away after his visit, ostensibly to his ship but the aired dialogue suggests a planetary station instead. Did you tell him he was wrong about something?
I really don't care for the Zheng He, and honestly I'm hit and miss on a lot of John Eaves's designs. I like most of his Discovery ships, his Insurrection small craft, but I've never really been a fan of the E-E or his old STO designs.
I honestly like the Emmett Till from the What We Left Behind documentary more than the Zheng He or anything else from Picard and Discovery, barring the Walker class.